Notes:The 8th BRICS Health Ministers’ Meeting was held at Durban, South Africa on July 20, 2018. In it, J P Nadda (the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare) highlighted the achievements of India in the health sector. He said that to reduce Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs), India has already initiated universal screening for prevention and management of five common NCDs including hypertension, diabetes and three common cancers of oral cavity, breast and cervix at pan India level. Beside this, India has started a unique initiative called AMRIT Deendayal pharmacy Centres that provide medicines for cancer & cardiovascular diseases and cardiac implants at significantly reduced prices. Apart from this, the unique programme ‘Ayushman Bharat’ has also launched that rests on the twin pillars of Health and Wellness Centres for provision of comprehensive primary healthcare services and National Health Protection Mission for secondary and tertiary care that aims to cover around 100 million families.

2. Which road suburban railway station in Mumbai has been rechristened as Prabhadevi station?

Notes:On July 19, the Elphinstone Road station on the suburban rail network of Mumbai has been rechristened as Prabhadevi station in honour of a local deity Prabhadevi and to erase a “colonial” name. The new nomenclature of the station will be PBHD. The station was named after Lord Elphinstone who had taken over as the then Governor of Bombay in 1853 (1853-1860), the year railways were introduced in India. The deity Prabhadevi also has its own importance as the area is locally known as Prabhadevi, after the temple that was first established by Raja Bhimdev in 13th century.

3. Which state government has launched an online portal ‘Aabhaar Aapki Sewa Ka’ for pensioners?

Notes:The Chhattisgarh government has launched an online portal and mobile app ‘Aabhaar-Aapki seva ka (Gratitude-For Your Service)’ to provide transparency in the pension facility. Through this app and the website, 80,000 pensioners of the state will now get all the information related to pension and payment online. The pensioners will get the benefit of senior pension with the State government’s 7th pay scale before January 1, 2016. This pension system was launched by the Online Pension Management System (OPMS) for the pensioners of the state.

4. Which non-banking finance company has won the 2018 NABARD award for its service to Self-Help Group (SHG) linkage?

Notes:Repco Micro Finance Ltd (RMFL), a non-banking finance company promoted by Repco Bank, has won the 2018 NABARD award for its service to Self-Help Group (SHG) linkage in Tamil Nadu for the fiscal year 2017-18. Since its inception, the NBFC has disbursed loans amounting to Rs 2,500 crore to over 10 lakh beneficiaries through 50,000 SHGs.

5. Viresh Kundu has won bronze in which Greco-Roman wrestling category at the 2018 Asian Junior Championships in New Delhi?

Notes:Viresh Kundu has won bronze in the 97kg Greco-Roman wrestling category at the 2018 Asian Junior Championships in New Delhi on July 18, 2018. Viresh, who hails from Uttar Pradesh and trains in Zirakpur, defeated South Korea’s Jeongyul Kwon by 14-5 in the 97 kg Bronze medal play-off to win his first international medal.

Notes:On July 19, the 10th edition of the Delhi Dialogue has started in New Delhi with theme ‘Strengthening India-ASEAN Maritime Co-operation’. The Delhi Dialogue is a premier annual track 1.5 event to discuss politico-security, economic and socio-cultural engagement between India and ASEAN. In the 2-day event, the political leadership, policymakers, officials, diplomats, business leaders, think-tanks and academicians from India and ASEAN Member States are participating in the discussions. This is the first major event to be organized after the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit that was held in New Delhi in January 2018.

7. Which of the following countries has passed a law to declare that only Jews have right of self-determination?

Notes:Israel has passed a law to declare that only Jews have the right of self-determination in the country. The nation-state law, backed by the right-wing government, was passed by a vote of 62 for and 55 against and two abstentions in the 120-member parliament after months of political argument. The law was enacted just after the 70th anniversary of the birth of the state of Israel. It stipulates that Israel is the historic homeland of the Jewish people and they have an exclusive right to national self-determination in it. The bill also strips Arabic of its designation as an official language alongside Hebrew, downgrading it to a special status that enables its continued use within Israeli institutions. The members of the Arab minority have criticized the law as racist and verging on apartheid.

8. Myanmar has become the 68th signatory to the Framework Agreement of the International Solar Alliance (ISA). Where is the headquarters of ISA?

Notes:Recently, Myanmar has joined the India-initiated International Solar Alliance (ISA) and became the 68th signatory to the Framework Agreement of the ISA. The primary aim of the alliance is to work for efficient exploitation of solar energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. It is headquartered at Gwal Pahari village in Gurugram, Haryana. The initiative was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then French President Francois Hollande at the Paris climate summit in 2015. It is open to all 121 prospective member countries falling between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn.

9. Gopal Das Neeraj, who passed away recently, was associated with which field?

Notes:Gopal Das Neeraj, the Doyen of Hindi poetry, has passed away in New Delhi on July 19, 2018. Neeraj, who was awarded Padma Shri (1991) and Padma Bhushan (2007), was born in Purvali village of Uttar Pradesh’s Etawa district. He won 3 Filmfare awards and penned some of the all-time hits like Likhe jo khat tujhe. His works include: ‘Dard Diya Hai’, ‘Asawari’ ‘Likh Likh Bhejat Pati’ and more.

10. What is the theme of 2018 World Youth Skills Day (WYSD)?

[A] Skills for All[B] Improving the image of TVET[C] Skills Development to Improve Youth Employment[D] World Skills for peace and prosperity

Notes:The World Youth Skills Day (WYSD) is observed every year on July 15 to call for increased prospects for youth to gain access to quality training and skills development. The purpose of the day is to spread awareness on the importance of youth developing skill development. The 2018 theme is “Improving the image of TVET (Technical & Vocational Education and Training)”.